ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · wind · racket · rash · pitch · leaves · craft · plane

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. craft — boats
  4. can — a tin
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rash — hasty
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. plane — a tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. wind — moving air
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pitch — completely
  15. craft — a skill
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. rash — a series
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com